Crocs’ $2.5 billion acquisition of Italian casual footwear brand, Hey Dude Shoes, was met with some skepticism when it was announced just before Christmas, in part because more than 80% of the deal would be funded with debt. CROX shares took a beating on the news, dropping more than 15% initially before climbing mostly back over the past two weeks. Moody’s and S&P Global expect the deal will have a negative impact on the company’s credit rating, and the former placed Crocs’ on review for a downgrade, while the latter placed Crocs on “CreditWatch Negative.” The acquisition will raise leverage ... Log in to view full article.